VIDEO: Terrifying near misses for cyclist at Deptford 'nightmare' junction

A "nightmare" section of Deptford road which has seen a string of serious cycling accidents has been forgotten about - along with the rest of south east London - by Boris Johnson, it is claimed.

London Assembly Member Darren Johnson has made a call for action during a site visit to Deptford Broadway.

He was joined by the Lewisham Cyclists group, who have made a series of videos showing just how terrifying the neighbouring junction at Deals Gateway is for those on two wheels, with several near misses caught on camera.

Meanwhile, shocking figures show five cyclists were seriously injured or killed on Deptford Broadway from 2008 to 2012.

Deptford Broadway and Deals Gateway has previously appeared on a Transport for London list of 100 dangerous junctions in the capital, alongside Eltham's Well Hall roundabout, Shooters Hill Road and Stratheden Road, plus Catford's Bromley Road and Canadian Avenue.

But, despite this, they were all snubbed in an announcement by Boris Johnson last month of 33 junctions to get major new improvements. The only south east London location chosen was the Woolwich Road roundabout.

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Darren Johnson said: "Deptford Broadway is a complete nightmare for both pedestrians and cyclists, which urgently needs sorting out. The lack of pedestrian signals is unbelievable, as you see school children playing Russian roulette with several lanes of lorries, buses and cars."

He said: "The Mayor of London could turn this horrible, traffic-dominated junction into a big public space that local people could actually use. At present, the road is a barrier which divides the community and stops many people from even trying to cross.

"There is no point having a road that widens out into six lanes at one point when it turns back into two lanes further down the same road. It is disappointing that this has been dropped from the Mayor of London’s list of dangerous junctions because this junction needs a major overhaul not just minor tweaks.

"Road safety and creating nice outdoor spaces for people to spend time should be a priority for the mayor."

Jane Davis from Lewisham Cyclists said that, when they were making their videos, even motorists were complaining how dangerous Deals Gateway is.

She said: "It's a problem of priority. People coming out of Greenwich High Road don't realise they don't have priority and it leaves them stranded in the middle of the road."

And she said of Depford Broadway: "It's just a massive, massive junction where cars can get up to very high speeds. It's just horrendous."

She added: "It was surprising that, out of 33 chosen, they were nearly all north of the river. Especially as we're such a poorly served area for public transport."

A Transport for London spokeswoman said: "On top of the 33 junctions recently identified as part of our Better Junctions programme, we are still fully committed to delivering an extensive programme of improvements for all road users across London in the coming years, including at Deals Gateway."

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Comments (7)

VIDEO: Terrifying near misses for cyclist at Deptford 'nightmare' junction

newcrosslad says...1:47pm Fri 28 Mar 14

They also need to sort out Deptford Bdy/Deptford Church St/Deptford Bridge/Brookmill Road junction - again unclear for cyclists and motorists with no pedestrian signals, especially crossing Brookmill Rd.

They also need to sort out Deptford Bdy/Deptford Church St/Deptford Bridge/Brookmill Road junction - again unclear for cyclists and motorists with no pedestrian signals, especially crossing Brookmill Rd.newcrosslad

They also need to sort out Deptford Bdy/Deptford Church St/Deptford Bridge/Brookmill Road junction - again unclear for cyclists and motorists with no pedestrian signals, especially crossing Brookmill Rd.

Score: 14

madras says...6:22pm Fri 28 Mar 14

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?madras

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

Score: 18

Mushymat says...9:42pm Fri 28 Mar 14

Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.

Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.Mushymat

Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.

Score: 16

ksc says...10:03am Sat 29 Mar 14

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.

[quote][p][bold]madras[/bold] wrote:
I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?[/p][/quote]They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.ksc

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.

Score: 15

ksc says...10:06am Sat 29 Mar 14

Mushymat wrote…

Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.

As everyone knows cyclists can be wrong (and dangerous) but on this occasion the cyclist was 100% correct, the drivers were very much wrong.

[quote][p][bold]Mushymat[/bold] wrote:
Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.[/p][/quote]As everyone knows cyclists can be wrong (and dangerous) but on this occasion the cyclist was 100% correct, the drivers were very much wrong.ksc

Mushymat wrote…

Don't panic people. It's early days. Someone will be along in a minute to tell us all how the cyclist is at fault. Failing that...road tax, insurance or some other sweeping generalisations.

As everyone knows cyclists can be wrong (and dangerous) but on this occasion the cyclist was 100% correct, the drivers were very much wrong.

Score: 8

madras says...1:40pm Sun 30 Mar 14

ksc wrote…

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.

Thanks - I thought I was missing something. Though even without the box junction, anyone going straight ahead (as is the cyclist) should have priority over people turning right across them. So might be badly designed, but really isn't it down to the motorists ignoring the cyclist? (and before the trolls start, I am a motorist!)

[quote][p][bold]ksc[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]madras[/bold] wrote:
I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?[/p][/quote]They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.[/p][/quote]Thanks - I thought I was missing something. Though even without the box junction, anyone going straight ahead (as is the cyclist) should have priority over people turning right across them. So might be badly designed, but really isn't it down to the motorists ignoring the cyclist?
(and before the trolls start, I am a motorist!)madras

ksc wrote…

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

They don't, the yellow box on the floor demands you don't enter it until your exit is clear, the oncoming traffic couldn't be bothered abiding by the law, if the cyclist had been a police motorcyclist they would have all stopped dead.

Thanks - I thought I was missing something. Though even without the box junction, anyone going straight ahead (as is the cyclist) should have priority over people turning right across them. So might be badly designed, but really isn't it down to the motorists ignoring the cyclist? (and before the trolls start, I am a motorist!)

Score: 7

Petra9 says...6:43pm Mon 31 Mar 14

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

I use that junction daily - from Blackheath hill towards Deptford. All I can think is - since the Gateway side is not a busy road, as opposed to the Greenwich South street side - regular users are used to having the right of way (as rarely being faced with other vehicles coming the other way) and the rest just follow suit. I note the buses in particular (regular users of this junction) as proof of my theory - they are just not used to oncoming traffic of any volume from the Gateway side. In fact, it has only been since the flats have been built that this area was opened up as a road. Personally I have only ever seen buses turn right INTO that junction to turn around at the bus stand, and was unaware that that road even went anywhere other than to access the new flats. But yes, that is horrendous discourtesy from other motorists to the cyclist - it needs clarifying asap for EVERYONES safety.

[quote][p][bold]madras[/bold] wrote:
I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?[/p][/quote]I use that junction daily - from Blackheath hill towards Deptford.
All I can think is - since the Gateway side is not a busy road, as opposed to the Greenwich South street side - regular users are used to having the right of way (as rarely being faced with other vehicles coming the other way) and the rest just follow suit.
I note the buses in particular (regular users of this junction) as proof of my theory - they are just not used to oncoming traffic of any volume from the Gateway side. In fact, it has only been since the flats have been built that this area was opened up as a road.
Personally I have only ever seen buses turn right INTO that junction to turn around at the bus stand, and was unaware that that road even went anywhere other than to access the new flats.
But yes, that is horrendous discourtesy from other motorists to the cyclist - it needs clarifying asap for EVERYONES safety.Petra9

madras wrote…

I don't understand why the traffic turning right across the path of the cyclist who wants to go straight on has priority - could someone explain?

I use that junction daily - from Blackheath hill towards Deptford. All I can think is - since the Gateway side is not a busy road, as opposed to the Greenwich South street side - regular users are used to having the right of way (as rarely being faced with other vehicles coming the other way) and the rest just follow suit. I note the buses in particular (regular users of this junction) as proof of my theory - they are just not used to oncoming traffic of any volume from the Gateway side. In fact, it has only been since the flats have been built that this area was opened up as a road. Personally I have only ever seen buses turn right INTO that junction to turn around at the bus stand, and was unaware that that road even went anywhere other than to access the new flats. But yes, that is horrendous discourtesy from other motorists to the cyclist - it needs clarifying asap for EVERYONES safety.

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